Distributed client-side policy evaluation in WASM and Rego

[leecalcote]

Current Behavior

Meshery's highly dynamic infrastructure configuration capabilities require real-time evaluation of complex policies. Policies of various types and with a high number of parameters need to be evaluted client-side. With policies expressed in Rego, the goal of this project is to incorporate use of the https://github.com/open-policy-agent/golang-opa-wasm project into Meshery UI, so that a powerful, real-time user experience is possible.

Desired Behavior

Design-required

Implementation

Design-required

Acceptance Tests

Design-required

Mockups

Design-required

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[github-actions]

This issue has been labeled with 'design-required'. Note that prior to commencing on implementation, a design specification needs to be created and reviewed for approval. See Creating a Functional Specification to create a design spec.

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[sivanaikk]

Hi @leecalcote. I am a 4th-year student from India. I would like to contribute to this project.

[acald-creator]

ack, I want to research on this too.

[abhinandanudupa]

@leecalcote So we need this implemented as a Extension (in the extensions page)?

[leecalcote]

@abhinandanudupa join the Slack workspace and let's chat --> http://slack.meshery.io

[prateek041]

Hey @leecalcote , would you please re-share the slack link ? It is not working.

[satyampsoni]

Is this project open for LFX?

[satyampsoni]

Hey who got selected for this project for the summer season?

[leecalcote]

@suhail34 would you like to put some thoughts together here?

[suhail34]

I'll do research

[VaibhavMalik4187]

@leecalcote I am interested in working on this project.

[VaibhavMalik4187]

Here is a very high-level proposal I came up with:
Incorporating Real-Time Policy Evaluation Using golang-opa-wasm into Meshery UI
Project Overview:

The goal of this project is to enhance Meshery's infrastructure configuration capabilities by incorporating real-time policy evaluation using the golang-opa-wasm project. Meshery is a widely-used service mesh management platform that provides various features for deploying, managing, and monitoring applications within a service mesh. One of the key challenges is to efficiently evaluate complex policies with multiple parameters in real-time on the client-side. This project aims to integrate the capabilities of golang-opa-wasm into the Meshery UI, enabling users to experience powerful and dynamic policy evaluations.
Project Objectives:

Integration of golang-opa-wasm: Integrate the golang-opa-wasm project into the Meshery UI codebase. This involves embedding the WebAssembly-based OPA (Open Policy Agent) runtime into the UI components.

Policy Expression Support: Enhance the Meshery UI to allow users to input policies expressed in Rego, a query and policy language used by OPA. Develop a user-friendly interface for creating and editing policies.

Real-Time Evaluation: Implement the functionality to dynamically evaluate policies in real-time as users modify parameters or expressions. The UI should provide instant feedback on policy evaluation results.

Parameter Management: Create a mechanism for users to define and manage various parameters within their policies. Users should be able to add, remove, and modify parameters easily.

User-Friendly Experience: Design an intuitive and user-friendly interface for interacting with policies and viewing evaluation results. Consider visual cues, color-coded indicators, and clear error messages to enhance the user experience.

Documentation: Provide comprehensive documentation that explains the integration process, how to write and test policies, and how to utilize the real-time evaluation feature in Meshery UI.

Deliverables:

Integrated golang-opa-wasm runtime within the Meshery UI codebase.
UI components for policy creation, editing, and parameter management.
Real-time policy evaluation mechanism with instant feedback.
Parameter management functionality, allowing users to add, remove, and modify parameters.
Intuitive and user-friendly UI design for interacting with policies and viewing evaluation results.
Well-structured documentation explaining the integration process and demonstrating the use of the real-time policy evaluation feature.

Timeline:

Week 1-2: Familiarization and Environment Setup
    Study the golang-opa-wasm project and understand its integration requirements.
    Set up the development environment for working on the Meshery UI codebase.

Week 3-4: Integration of golang-opa-wasm
    Embed the golang-opa-wasm runtime into the Meshery UI components.
    Ensure proper communication between the UI and the WebAssembly-based OPA runtime.

Week 5-6: Policy Expression Support and Parameter Management
    Develop UI components for creating, editing, and managing policy expressions.
    Implement parameter management functionality.

Week 7-8: Real-Time Evaluation and User-Friendly Experience
    Create the real-time policy evaluation mechanism with instant feedback.
    Design the user interface for interacting with policies and viewing evaluation results.

Week 9-10: Documentation and Testing
    Write comprehensive documentation explaining the integration process and usage of the real-time policy evaluation feature.
    Test the entire workflow thoroughly, identifying and fixing any bugs or issues.

Week 11-12: Finalization and Review
    Perform a complete review of the project implementation.
    Address any feedback and make necessary improvements.
    Prepare the final codebase, documentation, and resources for submission